Actor Suniel Shetty, who played a pivotal role in JP Dutta’s iconic 1997 war film Border, has consciously chosen to stay away from Border 2, even though the sequel features his son Ahan Shetty alongside Sunny Deol, Diljit Dosanjh, and Varun Dhawan.
At the film’s premiere held last week, Suniel was present at the venue to show his support for Ahan but made a deliberate decision to remain outside the theatre hall. While his wife Mana Shetty, daughter Athiya Shetty, and son-in-law KL Rahul watched the film with Ahan, Suniel spent the evening meeting people and interacting with well-wishers.
Speaking about the evening in an interview with Mid-day, Suniel recalled the experience and said, “I sat outside the theatre for three and a half hours, meeting people and soaking in all the compliments.” He then revealed the reason behind his decision to stay away from the film.
The actor shared that he had made a personal vow for his son’s success. Explaining his mannat, Suniel said, “I had said from day one that I wouldn’t watch 'Border 2' until it crossed a worldwide collection of Rs 500 crore. I had kept a mannat for Ahan. So far, I haven’t watched a single frame. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not about arrogance.”
Suniel Shetty, who portrayed Assistant Commandant Bhairon Singh Rathore in the original Border, expressed strong confidence in Ahan’s performance and the film’s reception. He said, “I am hoping it will cross Rs 500 crore. Mana loved 'Border 2'. Everybody who has watched the film has appreciated Ahan's work. I am happy that after 'Dhurandhar', another Hindi movie has worked brilliantly.”
The actor also revealed that he already has plans in place for the day he finally watches the film. “I will watch it with Ahan, his friends, and my family. I will also take Sunny paaji, Varun, and all of them with me. It will probably be the second time for them, but it will be my first. I don't know how many times I will watch it after that. I have always been proud of Ahan and his decisions. He strongly believed that 'Border' 2 was the film he wanted to do,” Suniel added.
Border 2 box office collection
Meanwhile, Border 2, directed by Anurag Singh, has witnessed mixed trends at the box office.
According to Sacnilk, the film crossed the Rs 100 crore mark over its extended Republic Day weekend. However, collections dipped during the weekdays, with the film earning Rs 20 crore net in India on its first Monday, followed by an estimated Rs 13 crore on Tuesday. With this, the film’s total India net collection after six days stands at Rs 213 crore.
